Probiotic supplements and natural immunity

By Jacob
2nd Oct 2012

Winter is now on the horizon which means a heightened period of activity for all of our immune systems as we try to cope with the cold and flu season. But can probiotics help with boosting our natural immunity?

US researchers certainly think so as they’ve revealed that a blend of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG and Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®, the probiotic in For maintaining regularity, was able to reduce the duration of common colds amongst college students.

The Chr. Hansen-sponsored study observed a group of 200 US college students, based at Framingham State University, who were divided into two groups and supplemented with either a placebo or 2 billion colony forming units of L. rhamnosus LGG and B. lactis BB-12®probiotic formula. The researchers observed that the probiotic group experienced colds that lasted an average of 4 days, as opposed to 6 in the placebo group. The probiotic group also experienced a 34% reduction in cold symptom severity.

Birgit Michelsen, Chr. Hansen’s director of scientific affairs in health and nutrition, commented on the significance of the study, “There have been other studies that have shown similar effects but this shows a significant result in a key population typically under extreme stress and prone to colds and flus as a result.”

A 2010 study, led by Mario Cazzola, also revealed that a multi-strain probiotic & prebiotic formula, containing Lactobacillus acidophils Rosell-52, Bifidobacterium infantis Rosell-33, Bifidobacterium bifidum Rosell-71 and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) prebiotic, as found in For your child’s health, was able to reduce the risk of occurrence of common infectious diseases in children.

The French researchers devised a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that observed 135 children between the age of 3-7 years old. The children were supplemented daily with either the For your child’s health probiotic formula, or a matched placebo.